Glasses removal - PRELEX

Without glasses after forty

Around the age of 40, the human eye begins to lose its ability to accommodate, or focus on close distances, and we gradually start to experience difficulty reading. This is evidenced by small letters in text becoming blurry. This process is medically referred to as presbyopia, or age-related farsightedness. 

Initially, this problem can be resolved by holding the text farther away, but gradually, a person will no longer be able to manage without glasses at all. If they also wear glasses for distance vision, they will face the constant need to switch between glasses. Alternatively, this issue can be addressed with multifocal glasses, which are expensive and may not be suitable for everyone.

Treatment of presbyopia

However, if wearing glasses is bothersome and limits you in your daily life, we have a solution for you—imperfect accommodation can be addressed with intraocular vision surgery: PRELEX.

"During the PRELEX procedure, the natural lens is replaced with a new multifocal or trifocal intraocular lens. The surgery can correct any number of diopters, allowing you to no longer need reading glasses and also eliminating the need for distance vision glasses," explains MUDr. Radan Zugar, Chief Physician at the Eye Centre Prague.

At the same time, the PRELEX procedure is also a preventive treatment, as patients who undergo this surgery are no longer at risk of developing cataracts or acute glaucoma in old age.

The PRELEX procedure is completely safe, painless, and quick. It is performed on an outpatient basis and lasts approximately 15 minutes. The procedure is entirely painless, as the eye is numbed with drops. After the surgery, the eye is covered with a patch until the next day, and once the patch is removed, the patient can see normally with the operated eye, completely without glasses.

Surgery on the second eye is usually performed one week later, but both eyes can be operated on simultaneously after consulting with the doctor.

Who is the procedure suitable for

The surgery is recommended for individuals over the age of 45. The suitability for the procedure should always be discussed with a doctor based on a pre-operative examination.  

You can read more patient experiences in the "Our Satisfied Patients" section.

Quality and accuracy of vision

To eliminate dependence on glasses, so-called multifocal or trifocal intraocular lenses are chosen.

At the Eye Centre Prague, we collaborate with the leading global manufacturers of intraocular lenses—Lenstec, Zeiss, and Alcon.

During the surgery, we use ONLY high-quality intraocular lenses from these manufacturers. All the intraocular lenses we use are CE marked (meaning they meet safety, health, and environmental requirements of the EU), and some also hold FDA certification (from the U.S. organization responsible for public health protection and product safety).

The specialist ophthalmologists at the Eye Centre Prague have even contributed to the development of the new bifocal intraocular lens SBL-3, which is now being implanted worldwide.

Why invest in your vision

Unfortunately, neither the surgery for presbyopia nor the multifocal lenses implanted during the procedure are covered by health insurance.

Here are some reasons why it’s worth investing in your vision:

• The eyes are one of our most important organs, and we shouldn’t skimp on them.
• Patients who have chosen to invest in their vision are thrilled after the surgery to see as they did when they were younger and enjoy the freedom of being without glasses.
• Getting rid of dependence on glasses for the rest of your life is worth it.
• In middle and older age, we shouldn’t unnecessarily abandon our hobbies and interests just because our vision or glasses make it difficult.
• After the surgery, patients no longer have to spend money on glasses that they would have to constantly replace due to increasing diopters—essentially having to buy two pairs, one for near and one for distance vision.

We are well aware that not everyone can afford such an investment, which is why our clinic offers the option of interest-free installment payments.

PRELEX procedure

Pre-operative examination

The pre-operative eye examination lasts approximately 1.5 hours. During the examination, we will assess your medical history, current eye condition, refractive errors, intraocular pressure, and perform an eye examination and fundus assessment using dilation. At the end of the examination, the doctor will explain the procedure in detail and recommend the most suitable surgical solution and type of intraocular lens. Please bring your current glasses and a list of any medications you are taking. A referral from your eye doctor is not required. After the examination, you will not be able to drive motor vehicles for several hours.

The procedure itself

The surgery is performed on an outpatient basis, meaning you will arrive at the clinic in the morning on the day of the procedure and leave the same day. The procedure itself takes only 15 minutes and is completely painless, as the eye is numbed with drops. The eyelids will be held in the correct position with a special device that prevents blinking—so you don’t need to worry about blinking interfering with the procedure. Throughout the preparation and during the surgery, the medical staff will do their utmost to ensure you feel safe and comfortable.

During the surgery, the surgeon will make a small incision (only 2.2 mm) and inject an operative gel into the eye to protect its delicate structures from damage throughout the procedure. Using a special device—the ultrasound phacoemulsifier—the natural lens of the eye is fragmented and suctioned out. After its removal, an artificial lens is inserted into the eye. Due to the very small size of the surgical incision, the eye heals quickly, easily, and on its own. After the surgery, the patient will have the eye covered with a sterile patch until the next day. Once the patch is removed, the patient can see normally with the operated eye.

If a second eye surgery is needed, it is usually performed within 14 days at our clinic.

Post-operative check-up

After the surgery, our receptionist will schedule a post-operative check-up appointment with you, which must be attended within three days of the procedure.

Post-operative recommendations

• attend follow-up appointments as scheduled
• protect the eye from injury
• avoid exposure to smoky and heavily dusty environments for one week
• you can return to work a few days after the surgery (if you work in an infectious environment, it is advisable to return only after four weeks)
• do not use cosmetics for 14 days
• avoid physically demanding work for four weeks
• stay away from swimming in public pools, spas, and natural bodies of water for four weeks
• driving is recommended only after the second eye surgery

How much does the procedure cost?

Currently, the surgery for presbyopia is not covered by health insurance. All information, including options for intraocular lenses, will be provided by the doctor during the pre-operative examination. You can find the cost of the surgery in the comprehensive price list. The procedure can also be paid for in installments, interest-free.

Location

You will undergo the PRELEX procedure at our Eye Centre in Prague. We are located in Holešovice, Prague 7 - Port7 / Nádraží Holešovice, Holešovice 1637 (just behind the Prague-Holešovice train station).

Throw away your glasses!

Do you want to enjoy the freedom of being glasses-free even after forty? Don’t wait any longer—schedule an initial examination with us. Our doctors will recommend the best solution based on this examination that meets your vision quality requirements.